I'm starting this thread to ask those of you who are new to linux what you feel can be done to improve the user friendliness of puppy. Many of us have been playing with the pup for quite a while now, and what seems second nature to us might not be so much to folks who are seeing puppy for the first time. So, what do you think can be done to make the transition to puppy easier?

I'll start:

If the modem wizard successfully sets up your modem, it should immediately take you to a dialogue to set up your dial-up connection, and then should place an icon on the desktop that you can click to connect to the net.

Descriptive popups or more descriptive names for apps on the start menu.

Posted: Tue 17 May 2005, 06:13 Post subject:
comments on day 1 of using puppy

Ok,

first off, I came to puppy as I saw it as an easy way to start playing with linux without having to mess with dual boot etc. It means my windows machine can be kept operational without the risk of me doing serious damage. Also I can use puppy on a work machine where I wouldn't be allowed to mess with dual boot anyway.

The first thing I've noticed is that I'd really like a 'first time setup' list that essentially goes through all the items one by one and gives a start, and also links to the hardcore documentation. For example:

1) boot first time - setting the keyboard

2) testing/configuring the monitor resolution

3) testing/setting up ethernet

4) testing/setting up sound drivers (my problem)

I was thinking it should be something like an installation checklist, with some pointers for where to go for help if it doesn't work

Icewm has tons of keyboard shortcuts ... if you don't like the way it's setup, it's easy to edit the config files and configure your own shortcuts

make sure to backup any files you intend to change though....I've just spent the last hour trying to remember which file I just altered. After a reboot it wouldn't let me into the GUI at all.
( what an amateur )

I am not new to Linux, but have just used Puppy for the first time. I agree with Mwphoto - it would be good to have the setup wizard started up initially, so that one at least has an internet connection. I too miss a wizard for setting up sound, or at least a FAQ or wiki page with a howto.

you need to edit /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin and /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/globicons ... and make sure the icons don't overlap each other

if you have programs and shortcuts to programs in a folder, you can click the icon in the folder to run the program ... in other words, use the folder like a menu ... if you middle-click the icon, the rox window will automatically close

if the shortcuts in the folder are roxapps ... then they can have icons built into the shortcut

so all you have to do is drag it to the desktop, if you want a desktop shortcut

of course, the Puppy default desktop could have shortcuts to roxapps as easily as any other program

I was just thinking of making things easy for new users. For instance, you download a program from the internment and it is placed in the "Desktop" directory by default. when it is done downloading it shows up on the desktop as an icon. You then click the icon and the program is ran.

I was just thinking of making things easy for new users. For instance, you download a program from the internment and it is placed in the "Desktop" directory by default. when it is done downloading it shows up on the desktop as an icon. You then click the icon and the program is ran.

Yes, that has been in the back of my mind as a logical next step for the PupGet package manager. In /root/.packages/ there are various files for an installed package, so why not a file for a desktop shortcut?
I haven't thought it through yet, this is just a vague idea, that it would be a good thing.

you have to edit 2 files in Choices ... trickiest part is that icons can be anywhere, and you have to set the x and y coordinates, so to do it properly, you really need to be able to read the coordinates from the confiig file and put your icon somewhere where it won't be put over existing icons (if there actually is space on the desktop) ... to do this properly really needs a more complicated program than a bash script (bash does have some limited arithmetic capabilities)

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